Electric sign



E. L. BALLEW Feb. 14, 1939.

ELECTRIC SIGN Filed Oct. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jnv'erz for Elmer L.fiallew' E. L. BALLEW ELECTRIC SIGN Feb. 14, 1939.

Fild Oct. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jnz/en 2'02" Elmer L- ,BallewPatented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC SIGN Elmer L. Ballew,Chicago, 111., assiznor ofonehalf to Robert L. Swats, Chicago, 11].

Application October a, 1937, Serial m. 167,920

4 Claims; (cilia-1:2)

This invention relates to an electric sign.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved electric signwhich is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction andmaintenance and eflicient in use.

I am aware of the fact that electric signs embodying rotary discs andother movable elements have been used heretofore. However, in so far asI am aware these have generally been concerned with providing spiral orwhirling lighting effects. I have found, however, that a novel andinteresting sign or display device may be constructed by creating theeffect or illusion of a series of what appears to be "balls of lightbeing projected radially outwardly from the center of the sign towardthe periphery thereof, rather than by creating a spiral or whirlingefiect.

Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide anovel electric sign of the so-cal1ed neon or luminous tube type,embodying a rotary disc, and which is so constructed that when in use itcreates the illusion in the eye of an observer of a series of so-calledballs of light being thrown radially outwardly from the center of therotary disc toward the periphery thereof, as if by centrifugal action,much in the manner in which drops of water might be thrown out from arotating element, by centrifugal force, thereby creating a novel andinteresting lighting effect and one which readily attracts the eye andattention of an observer.

A further object of the present invention is to construct one form ofthe same in such a manner that a continuously moving endless element orbelt, which is provided with a row of lightpenetrable slots, is causedto move in front of one or a series of so-called neon or luminous tubes,thereby producing the illusion in the eye of an observer of a series ofso-called balls of light being projected from one edge of the housingtoward the other edge thereof, as the endless ele-- ment or belt ismoved continuously in one direction in the housing.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view, partly I in elevation, ofone form of the new sign;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof; Fig. 3 is a central verticalsectional view on 5 line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of rotary disc which may beused in the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a modified form of the new sign,with a part of the front 5 wall thereof broken away so as to reveal partof the interior thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail view on line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

One form of the new electric sign is shown in 1 Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive,is therein generally indicated at l0 and comprises a casing or housing lwhich includes a side wall l2, rear wall l3, and a front wall H, thelatter being preferably in the form of an opaque or painted glass sheetwhich :5 is held in place by a suitable frame i5, and is provided with aseries of radially arranged slots l6, (Fig. 2).

Suitably mounted in the casing or housing II is a horizontally extendingshaft I! which is 20 operated by a conventional motor mechanism l8, andmounted on this shaft l1, adjacent the front thereof, is a rotary discl9 which is shown as being provided with a generally S-shaped slot 20;or, if desired, the disc I! may be replaced by the disc 2i (Fig. 4)which is provided with the generally clover-shaped design 22; it beingnoted (Fig. 4) that each of the four (or more) elements in the design issubstantially oval-shaped in appearance and more or less resembles a 30horseshoe in shape, for a reason to be explained presently.

Stationarily mounted in the housing ll, rearwardly of the disc IS, on asuitable frame 25, is a series of radially arranged so-called neon orluminous tubes 30 which are shown as being arranged in two groups 25'-26and 2'|28, the terminals of the group 25'-26 being electricallyconnected to a transformer 3| and the terminals of the group 21-28 beingelectrically connected to a transformer 32.

In the use of the form of the invention which is shown in Figs. 1 to 3,inclusive, the gas-conducting or luminous tubes 30 are rendered luminousby current from the transformers 3l32, in a manner which is wellunderstood in the art, and the shaft l1 and disc I9 are rotated by themotor mechanism l8. Accordingly, when the slotted disc I9 is rotated(relatively slowly) in front of the radially arranged luminous tubes 30,and rearwardly of the radially arranged slots or lightpenetrable areasin the front wall H of the housing H, the effect that is produced in theeye of an observer is to create the illusion that a series of what maybe called, for lack of a better term, "balls" of light are projectedradially outwardly from the axial center of the device which isrepresented by the shaft l'l, toward the periphery thereof. This effectis due, in part, to the motion of the slot 20 in the disc IS in front ofthe radially arranged tubes In, and in part to the fact that because ofthe opaque front wall only the particular tubes 30 may be seen at onetime which are in alignment with the slot 2|! in the disc I! and withthe corresponding radial slots H5 in the opaque front wall It.

While so-called luminous or neon tube signs, employing rotary discs,have been heretofore used I have found that none of these, in so far asI am aware, produces the novel effect which is created by the radialarrangement of the tubes 30 and slots IS in alignment or registrationwith each other and on opposite sides of the slotted rotary disc 19, soas to produce an effect which may be described, as stated above, asresembling balls" of light projected radially outwardly along each ofthe tubes 30. It will be noted, in this connection, that this effect isobtained only if and when the slotted disc i9 is rotatedcounterclockwise, (Fig. 2) since in this event the radially inner endportion of the slot in the disc l9 moves in front of, or intoregistration with, each of the tubes before the radially outer end por-rtion thereof moves into alignment or registration with the same, therebyexposing only part of each tube at one time and gradually exposing eachtube radially outwardly from its radially inner end, and thus producingthe effect of so-called balls of light. The foregoing effect may, ofcourse, be reversed by rotating the disc I! in the opposite direction(clockwise, Fig. 2), whereupon the so-called balls" of light will travelinwardly from the radially outer ends of the tubes since in this latterevent the radially outer end portion of the slot 20 will move intoalignment or registration with each tube 20 prior to the radially innerend portion of the same.

If desired the disc 2| (Fig. 4) may be substituted for the disc I! andin this event the movement of the so-called "balls of light will befirst radially outwardly (when the disc 2| is rotated counterclockwise,Fig. 4) and then inwardly because of the fact that one side A of eachslot 22, by reason of its curvature, will expose the radially inner endportion of each tube 30 first and then the remaining portion of thesame, whereas the other side B of each slot 22 will expose the radiallyouter end of each tube first and then the remaining part of the tube.

While the opaque and slotted front wall H has been shown (Fig. 3) asembodied in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive,this opaque and slotted front wall may be replaced by a plain glassfront, if desired, without destroying the novel lighting effectdescribed above, although the effect is somewhat better, sharper, andmore distinct, when using the opaque front wall than when omitting it.

A modified form of the present invention is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 ofthe drawings, is therein generally indicated at 3|, and comprises acasing or housing II, which is somewhat similar to the housing ll,except that the housing 3| includes a front wall 32 which is providedwith a transparent window 33. Rotatably mounted in the housing 3! is ahorizontal shaft 34 on which is mounted a disc 35 which may be providedwith an S-shaped slot 36, such as the slot l6 which is provided in thedisc I! or, if desired, the disc 21 (Fig. 4) may be substituted for thedisc II.

Mounted in the housing 3|, rearwardly of the disc 25, is a stationarysupporting wall or disc 31 and mounted in this wall I1 is a series ofradially arranged rows of light-penetrable elements or glass buttons 38,while suitably supported in the housing 3|, behind each of the rows ofbuttons 38, is a light source in the form of a luminous or so-calledneon tube 38.

In the use of the form of the invention which is shown in Figs. 5 and 6the shaft 34 and disc 35 are projected by means of a suitable motormechanism (not shown), and as the slotted disc 35 is rotated in front ofthe light-penetrable elements or glass buttons 28 an illusion iscreated, in the eye of an observer, which is identical to that which isproduced by the form of the invention which is shown in Figs. 1 to 3,inclusive.

While I have illustrated and described preferred forms of constructionfor carrying my invention into effect, these are capable of variationand modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I,therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variationsand modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I clatirii'iS as new and desireto protect by Letters Paten 1. An electric sign comprising a housinghaving a series of radially arranged light sources therein, said housingincluding an opaque front wall provided with a series of radiallyarranged lightpenetrable areas corresponding to, and adapted to registerwith, the said light sources, an opaque disc rotatably mounted in thesaid housing between the said front wall and the said light sources andhaving a light-penetrable area progided therein, and means for rotatingthe said 2. An electric sign comprising a housing having a series ofradially arranged luminous gas-conducting tubes therein, said housingincluding an opaque front wall provided with a series of radiallyarranged light-penetrable areas corresponding to, and adapted toregister with, the said tubes, an opaque disc rotatably mounted in thesaid housing between the said front wall and the said tubes and having aslot formed therein, and

means for rotating the said disc.

3. An electric sign comprising a housing having a series of radiallyarranged luminous gas-conducting tubes therein, said housing includingan opaque front wall provided with a series of radially arrangedlight-penetrable areas corresponding to, and adapted to register with,the said tubes, an opaque disc rotatably mounted in the said housingbetween the said front wall and the said tubes and having a generallyS-shaped slot formed therein, and means for rotating the said disc.

4. An electric sign comprising a housing including a transparent frontwall, an opaque upright support in the said housing rearwardly of thesaid front wall, a series of light-penetrable elements mounted in thesaid support in a predetermined configuration, means located rearwardlyof the said elements for illuminating the same. an opaque disc rotatablymounted in the said housing between the said support and the said frontwall and having a light-penetrable area therein, and means for rotatingthe said'disc.

ELMER L. BALLEW.

